Yogesh Avasthi

Lack of transportation and compulsory attendance at the state govt’s mega sports event, Khel Mahakumbh, forces poor municipal school teachers to put lives of children from Khokhra in danger by packing them in goods rickshaws Yogesh Avasthi and Kalpesh Bhatt Posted On Friday, November 26, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2010112620101126030218573de07e4d ) Two’s company, three’s a crowd. What would you call 25 schoolchildren stuffed into a speeding loading rickshaw — sardines, perhaps? An elbow pokes through a jumble of limbs, trying to hold fast onto a metal rod on the vehicle. Unable to find standing space among schoolmates, four boys stand precariously on the rickshaw’s folding ramp. Another kid tries to climb over others’ heads to catch a breath of air. Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s much-touted Khel Mahakumbh might turn out to be a catalyst for sports culture in the state, but what about the ...

The sacked Medical Council of India president in his first interview in 7 months says the body he once headed had mala fide intention in suspending his licence to practise. Desai also defends his decision to run for Gujarat University Senate Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, November 25, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2010112520101125024700175ced8a018 ) Breaking his silence after seven months, Ketan Desai, the former Medical Council of India president, has challenged the apex body’s decision to suspend his licence to practise and described the move as “mala fide”. Desai, who was sacked as MCI chief and arrested on April 22 after allegations of corruption against him, told Mirror in an exclusive interview that MCI did not have the power to revoke his licence to practise as a doctor because he was not registered with it. “I am registered with Gujarat Medical Council (GMC), which in turn, sends...

The university will play its theme song ‘Vandan Abhinandan’ for the first time today to mark completion of its 60 years Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Tuesday, November 23, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=2010112320101123025709899571ea329 ) Gujarat University (GU) has finally found its theme song. Titled ‘Vandan Abhinandan’, the ditty is aimed at making students feel proud of their association with the varsity. It will be played for the first time today during a function at GU’s Senate Hall to mark 60 years of the university. The 3.10-minute song, which has references to Sardar Patel and Anand Shankar, has been written by Tushar Shukla and composed by Narendra Shastri. Interestingly, it incorporates the three ragas — Desh, Kalavati and Malhar — used in the national anthem and song. “Indian classical instruments dominate the music, but you will also find traces of western in some parts,” GU V-C Parima...

The university will make changes to its MBA course specifically to meet manpower needs of Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, November 18, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=201011182010111803092369939da873a ) The Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has decided to tweak its MBA and MCA programmes to meet manpower requirements of Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City, an ambitious ‘business district’ proposed in Gandhinagar. According to an estimate, GIFT City, which will seek to be a hub for global financial services sector, will need workforce of more than 1 lakh. GTU wants to make sure that its students gain the most from this demand. “Recently, we met officials executing this project and discussed what kind of talent they would seek,” the varsity’s vice-chancellor, Akshai Aggarwal, told Mirror. “Our aim is to churn out MBA and MCA graduat...

University is the first to announce such an award to improve quality of education Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, November 17, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=20101117201011170340173302b18aa35 ) The Gujarat Technological University has become the first university in the state to award its teachers and prinicipals for and their contribution to the education system. The university has announced that it will award the best teachers and principals from colleges under its aegis. To encourage teachers There will be three awards each for best teacher in Diploma and degree and postgraduate colleges in engineering of Rs 41,000, Rs 31,000 and Rs 21,000. One award each will be given to teachers of pharmacy, MBA and MCA faculty. “There are teachers and principals who want to deliver quality education. However, they are not getting proper encouragement. We have introduced these awards in order to enco...

Rlys to award Rs 3.4 cr contract to private company for cleaning concourse halls, tracks, offices and waiting rooms Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, November 13, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2010111320101113034346821e454361d ) Ahmedabad railway station is all set to look as spic-and-span as our international airport. The railway authorities will be assigning the daily cleaning job to a private company. Tenders have been issued for the three-year cleaning contract and Rs 3.4 crore allotted. The contract licensee will ensure not just clean platforms but even tidy railway tracks, retiring rooms, waiting halls, offices and yards. Cleaning up of the station is a Herculean task considering the fact that it registers a footfall of 1.5 lakh passengers. As many as 120 people supplied by the company will work in three shifts at the station. They will be supervised by two full-time supervisors who wil...

Officials have submitted a proposal to lengthen the bridge, which connects 12 platforms at the station, to make it easier for people to exit the premises Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Wednesday, November 10, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=20101110201011100302086875591e35c ) fficials of Ahmedabad railway station plan to extend the foot overbridge that connects the 12 platforms to make it easier for passengers to exit the facility and hire autos. The plan, if approved by the western railways, will help bring some order to the cramped station. “Currently, the bridge passes over the 12 platforms. We want to extend it to the station’s compound,” the divisional railway manager (Ahmedabad), Ashok Garud, told Mirror. “We have submitted the proposal in this regard to the general manager of western railways.” He said that lengthening the bridge would cost at least Rs 2 crore. Apart from adding to passengers’...

Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, November 06, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=20101106201011062025041826c8a3c76 ) An auto service managed by non-profit organisation Nirmal Foundation is set to give rickshawallahs’ who charge at will to transport people from the airport a run for their money. In just two weeks, G-Auto will start ferrying fliers from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport by charging fares fixed by the RTO. Apart from the meter-based fare and a service fee, G-Autos will not demand a single rupee more — a practice completely unknown to existing auto drivers at the airport. Interestingly, Nirmal Foundation has signed an MoU with the airport authority for starting this facility, named Airport Express Service. The organisation claims this is the first time such an agreement has been finalised in the country. “G-Autos will be given a separate stand outside the airport,” th...

First and second AC coaches of the train have been taking in 300 extra passengers daily. An air ticket to Delhi costs Rs 12,000 but a Rajdhani ticket costs Rs 2,660 Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Thursday, November 04, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=20101104201011040241446826587223a ) This Diwali, Rajdhani Express is targeting flyers with its zero-waiting list concept. Extra coaches are being added to accommodate maximum number of passengers, who in case of non-availability of berths, are forced to travel by air. Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express, which has 14 coaches in the lean period, is running at maximum carriage capacity of 18 coaches to cater to the festive-season rush. For the past four days, first and second AC coaches of the daily train have seen zero waiting lists by accommodating over 300 extra passengers daily. Extra coaches are added only if the waiting list runs into triple digits. ...

Ahmedabad Railway Division will soon replace the iron plates used to display name and coach numbers with digital boards Yogesh Avasthi Posted On Saturday, November 06, 2010 ( http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectname=News%20-%20City&sectid=3&contentid=2010110620101106002643119d0b194a5 ) Have you ever missed a train because you were unable to read the name board or got into a wrong one because railway authorities forgot to change the name plate? Ahmedabad Railways Division has decided to remedy this problem of the commuters. It is soon going to replace the iron display boards on train with digital ones. This will not only ease the commuters trouble but will also relieve railway employees of the hassel of changing the board according to their respective destinations. Generally in ‘A’ grade trains the coaches remains the same therefore the driver and the ground staff do not have to change the iron boards of the train. But on other trains at times th...